Data Driven: Vehicle-To-Vehicle Communications Coming Soon

For proposed V2V safety systems to work in the real world, a free flow of data between connected cars is essential. Naturally, the devil's in the details.

Smarter Cars: 9 Tech Trends

(Click image for larger view and slideshow.)

Will the connected car become a major component of the Internet of Things? It's starting to appear so. A new research report from the US Department of Transportation's (DOT) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) assesses the readiness of vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications, which are designed to transmit safety information between autos and warn drivers of imminent crashes.

The new report examines the current state of V2V research, as well as technical, legal, and policy issues relevant to a world in which cars on the road exchange potentially life-saving data.

"Using this report and other available information, decision-makers will determine how to proceed with additional activities involving vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), and vehicle-to-pedestrian (V2P) technologies," the report states.

Two of many potential V2V safety applications look promising at this time: Left Turn Assist (LTA) and Intersection Movement Assist (IMA). The former warns drivers not to turn left in front of a vehicle heading in the opposite direction -- always good advice -- while the latter alerts them when it isn't safe to enter an intersection (e.g., when doing so could result in a smash-up with one or more vehicles).

NHTSA estimates that IMA and LTA could prevent anywhere from 25,000 to 592,000 crashes and save roughly 50 to 1,083 lives per year.

A V2V-enabled auto would use short-range radio to transmit data about its speed, heading, brake status, and other information to other V2V-ready vehicles. The NHTSA estimates that a V2V system would cost roughly $350 per vehicle in 2020, with the cost falling to between $209 and $227 by 2058, the report states.

Numerous details must be worked out before a working V2V system is in place. NHTSA also released an accompanying advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) report, which raises important technical, legal, and policy issues that must be resolved by automakers, policymakers, and other stakeholders. They include:

Should mobile phones or other cellular devices be an option for V2V communication, or should V2V be a component of the vehicle?

Does cellular technology have the low latency and security required for safe V2V communications?

How might a V2V system manage message congestion?

NHTSA has conducted some testing of V2V safety apps, but a lot more is needed "to determine long-term driver behavior and the impact of a V2V mandate," the ANPRM states.

For instance, the agency has yet to conduct real-world testing to determine if driver use of V2V technology differs with "routine distractions," such as smartphones, radio usage, and talking to passengers.

An early V2V system may deliver limited value, particularly if few vehicles are equipped to use it.

"If NHTSA mandates V2V technology for new vehicles only, it will likely take about 15 to 20 years before the vast majority of all vehicles on the road have the technology installed," the ANPRM states.

Security and privacy issues will arise, too. A V2V system could create new "threat vectors" that allow someone to hack into a vehicle's electronic control unit and potentially "control a vehicle or manipulate its responses" in new and dangerous ways, the report adds.

"By warning drivers of imminent danger, V2V technology has the potential to dramatically improve highway safety," said NHTSA deputy administrator David Friedman in a statement. "V2V technology is ready to move toward implementation, and this report highlights the work NHTSA and DOT are doing to bring this technology and its great safety benefits into the nation's light vehicle fleet."

Our new survey shows fed agencies focusing more on security, as they should, but they're still behind the times with cloud and overall innovation. Get the new IT Priorities In Order? issue of InformationWeek Government today.

Jeff Bertolucci is a technology journalist in Los Angeles who writes mostly for Kiplinger's Personal Finance, The Saturday Evening Post, and InformationWeek. View Full Bio

We welcome your comments on this topic on our social media channels, or [contact us directly] with questions about the site.

Massive potential, but some serious security issues to consider. Not just along the lines of keeping people from hacking a car, but making sure that what any single car is getting from other cars is legit. Its easy to imagine a scenario where a device is built that simulates the signals of many cars being present, bringing traffic to a halt because all the cars think there is a stopped car immediately in front of them.

And then of course there is the almost inevitiable headline "Chinese group causes hundreds of automobile collisions within a few seconds".

I liked the idea that V2V can save people's lives on the road. I guess the real benefits only come if all the cars on the road have V2V. People don't feel that their privacy is protected after news has been release of the NSA. Now that cars will be monitoring their driving patterns and communicating with other, it will be a tough idea to sell.

Warning about only newer cars approaching, but ignoring older models (newer cars will be equipped with v2v and old cars will not be) will do much more harm than good. And what about trucks, buses, police, fire and so on - will those be equipped as well?
As for collecting information and using it in court, in some countries you won't even be able to buy car insurance without carcam installed.

Also, the extent to which vehicle-to-vehicle communication can be subpoenaed will be interesting. Your car may be witness to a crime. Every citizen potentially becomes a surveillance node for the government by driving a sensor-laden car.

Where this will get really interesting is when it's combined with behavioral profiling and predictive analytics to suggest what the other driver will do next. Could be a good thing, as long as the computer guesses right.